Doctors, lawyers support N.C. medical malpractice bill

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AP

Doctors and lawyers are in agreement on a bill that would cap monetary damages at a million dollars in some medical malpractice cases.

Both the North Carolina Medical Society and the N-C Academy of Trial Lawyers support a bill, which is set for House debate tonight. The measure caps monetary damages in negligence cases at a million dollars, but only for those who agree to go to binding arbitration.

The agreement is a marked change from previous years. Before now, physicians have blamed rising malpractice insurance premiums on multimillion-dollar awards by runaway juries, of which lawyers usually receive a percentage.